Oh, of course -- other than THAT haha -- thanks Smarty!

Here's a long story to point out a simple product that works!

This last week my little dog, Guinness had a case of the runs. We live in a motor home so she managed to cover a lot of area with just one trip through the house. Boy, was I ever looking forward to the clean up! I remembered that club soda is a good thing so started off using that after getting up the residue (what a polite term I'm using) Since my carpet is dark brown- a real plus in this case- I had a hard time seeing what was there once it was wet. I had some Resolve so tried it. Then I went over the path with what ever it is that's like Fabreze- the other brand. My husband complained he could still smell something but I never smelled a lot in the first place so took his word for it.Went to the store and got some OUT which is great for pet stains. Put some of that on too.

Well, the  smell of ammonia suddenly came up and almost knocked me over!!

I looked on the OUT bottle and saw that if you use too many products- guess what happens? the remedy?

VINEGAR! I ran out, got a bottle, emptied my Wrinkle Reducer spray, poured some diluted vinegar in and Whooppeee!!!!!

NO SMELL! G_d only knows what's happened to the carpet but I'm going to put a big sign up someplace that says when in doubt- use vinegar. So many uses!

It's good when combined with a little dish detergent and water for the shower- lot's cheaper than the commercial brands too.

Happy to inhale, I am your KrewMate,

Sambuca

oh, Sambuca, what a mess!  Vinegar is great!  Diluted with water, it's also good for cleaning mirrors and windows.  Saves a lot on Windex!

smartyshorts:  I have to respectfully disagree.  I'd never heard of the Coke thing until this thread.  Our apartment block has very rusty water b/c they're too cheap to put in new pipes.  I have used every bathroom product known to man to get the rust stains out of the bottom of the toilet.  The other night I poured some Coke down there and let it sit overnight.  The next morning........voila.....gone.  Scary to think that we actually drink the stuff!

                                                   

                                 

Does this really work?? 

 

 

It's called the Gazelle Edge Glider Exerciser.  Made by Fitness Quest and endorsed by Tony Little.  Has anyone here tried one of these out at the gym?  It's regular $249.99 (CDN) and I can get it for $124.00 but the sale ends on the 8th.  I've done a lot of research tonight and I would say that 95% of the people who have bought one have given it very positive reviews.  What do you think? 

I don't know anyone who has bought it but just watching people use it on the info-commercials makes me think it's very uncomfortable.  I can't imagine that swinging your legs "widely" back and forth like that would be good for the body.  But I can only speak for myself in that it doesn't look likesomething I would want to do.  I would think it would depend on what type of exercise you like to do.  If you like exhuberant aerobic styles of exercise, e.g., jumping jacks, karate and contact sports, then maybe that machine would get you going in the morning.  I've always preferred quiet sports, like jogging, swimming and yoga.  So that's the question I would ask myself before buying an exercise machine -- Does it support the "style" of exercise that I tend to prefer?

Well, they say the swinging action is easy on the joints but I'm worried I might fall off  lol  I've been to the gym before and I liked the weight training and resistance machines but I positively despised aerobics.  I'm not a jump-around kind of person, either. 

 

I put my name on a list for a fall class for beginner's Pilates that's being held at a school which is just a short bus ride away.  I haven't been able to talk to the person who will be the instructor, yet.  From what I gather, Pilates is stretching, etc. and it might be a gentle way for me to start off.  Do you know much about it?

 

I also phoned the pool, which is about six blocks from me, re: aquacize classes but they don't have their fall schedule ready yet.  I think I'd be too embarrassed to be seen in a bathing suit right now, plus I'd have to buy one.

I don't know too much about Pilates except that dancers were doing Pilates many decades before it became popular.  I'm also not sure how difficult it is if you're totally out of shape, i.e., what kind of help they give you if you can't do the stretches.  I would imagine it's like yoga, where, if you have a good teacher who understands your limitations, they can guide you gently through each session so that you only do what your body is capable of.

 

Re: the swimming ... I also would have to first buy a bathing suit!  And when you get fat, it's a big shock to see the sizes you have to buy.  Speedo usually isn't good for when you get fat; I always found them too tight and too risque, so to speak!  You don't want your ass hanging out.  lol.  I can't remember the brand I used to buy, but they had good racing swimsuits that held everything in and went up to sizes 36+ beyond.  I bet anything that there will be plenty of fat ladies at the swim classes because that's the kind of exercise that overweight people, people who haven't exercised in a while and people with arthritis tend to be able to do.  It's easy on the bones and great for toning.  Swimming doesn't help you lose weight, as some people think, unless you're swimming laps 5 and 6 times a week (and even then I didn't lose weight!!), but swimming can start to tone-up the flabbiness.

 

I think the Pilates and/or the swimming is probably best for you but if you can get a good deal on that machine and if you still think you'd prefer a more vigorous workout that you can do out of the eye of the public, then go for it!  It's a great price.

 

I'd probably be looking for my bathing suit in the maternity section  lol  I know swimming doesn't help you lose weight but it is good exercise and I've always enjoyed it.  Plus, those aquacize classes do a lot of resistance exercises, etc.  I took one over 20 years ago but I was thin and in shape then.

 

I'm looking for something to start off with that involves a lot of stretching and toning.  Have you ever felt that you really need to stretch your body?

 

I took yoga several years ago but found some of the positions were too hard on my back.  I had told the instructor in advance about my back and she said yoga was great for that kind of thing but I didn't think so.  From what I've researched about Pilates, it can be one heck of a workout, but those are probably the advanced classes.  This list I put my name on is allowing official registration in a few weeks so I'll talk to the instructor when she e-mails me. 

 

This Canadian magazine I get just started a walking club which I thought was weird b/c there will be snow on the ground in less than three months.  I signed up for it anyway so I could get all the freebies, like a step counter, etc.  hahaha.

 

Yeah, that machine is a great price and I'm wondering if that isn't what is impressing me?  I still have a few days to think about it.

Heck, if you're feeling like you want to stretch and tone -- and YES, I often feel like I want to stretch and I do! (I still do minor yoga exercises -- the ones that my body can tolerate) -- why don't you look for a plain ol' Stretch Class?  Yoga CAN be really hard on the body and you have to have a knowledgeable teacher who will allow you to sit out certain positions.  I don't believe that ALL yoga positions are right for everyone.  A lot of people have had accidents that make it impossible for them to do certain back and neck exercises, and you can't exercise that "out" of you unless you figure out a way to gradually (and safely!) do it, WITH a good teacher who has worked with folks with special medical needs.  Not all yoga teachers have that experience.

 

Anyway .... Yeah, maybe you are just impressed with the price.  I often make that mistake -- I buy something that I don't need or later regret, just because it was a bargain!  My gut feeling, just from knowing you, is NOT to get the machine.  Spend your money elsewhere.  Find a class for gentle exercises (beginner's classes, older people's classes -- that sort of thing).  I just don't know enough about Pilates to know if they can adjust their exercises for people with special needs.  I would guess they probably CAN do that, since Pilates started out as a dancer's exercise and lots of dancers have injuries that need to be worked through.

 

I like the walking thing ... especially the freebies!!!  lol

 

For you, I think stretching, walking, swimming -- that's the direction I'd go in.

 

BTW -- I hope I'm not being insulting ... it's just that I KNOW what it's like to remember the way you used to like to exercise -- I was a jogger, swimmer, yoga student, etc. and I was in great shape and could touch my toes without bending my knees, run 3 miles, swim the equivalent of a mile, etc. -- but you have NO idea what you're going to NOT be able to do, since you haven't been excising for a long period of time, AND you're overweight.  I even bought videos that were specifically geared towad "older folks."  For example, I bought a video called "Yoga for the Young At Heart" and the people in the video were at least 60-plus (the teacher was about late 40s, maybe early 50s) and I'm telling you, Sherri, I couldn't do 8 minutes of that tape!!!!  I was appalled.  Then I tried one of those Leslie Sansone walking tapes?  Have you heard of her?  She makes it sound like it's so easy, that anyone can do it.  But her tapes are actually good old-fashioned aerobics ... you're not doing anything that will hurt your body, but man, you will be huffing and puffing!  I couldn't do that one either.  Also, a few years back, I tried swimming again -- I used to be able to swim for 90 minutes NON-STOP -- and years later, I tried it again.  Oh my god.  It's sickening!  I wasn't able to do ONE lap.  If I were to try to jog now, I wouldn't be able to do one block ... my knees hurt, everything hurts, back hurts, got 25-30 extra pounds on me.  Doing a class, at least for me, is out of the question.  I am embarrasingly out of shape.

 

So take it SLOW and EASY.